Justine – I Look At The Sky

This is a really enjoyable song. Almost immediately you can find yourself drifting off into your own thoughts as you listen. The opening few moments present a reverb-soaked leading vocal that rides along on top of these soft and colourful synth sounds and a very light natured beat. Fairly soon in the mix, however, the structure steps up, the music takes a turn, and your attention can either be refocused on the music or sent off in a slightly new direction of dreaming.

The song has the melodic quality of a summer dance track, though the recording at this point is much gentler than most – there’s a definite possibility for remix or further collaboration. The track works well in this setting though; it’s pleasant, easy to listen to, and still quite striking in the way the melody is presented and the way in which the music does intensify – instrumentally and vocally – without simply smashing up the tempo or too suddenly changing key.

It’s a great sound, what’s particularly likeable about it is that once you’re familiar with the sound, the music, the vocal style, you then get to appreciate the poetic and reflective nature of the lyrics. This isn’t just another clichéd or lyrically familiar summer song, there’s an unquestionably original nature to the writing, and this says a lot about the songwriter and the creative mind behind it all. To hold on to your own character and your own innate desire to write and perform is to make something truly unique, and that’s a great thing to run with. The sound is fresh and exciting, very easy to listen to and to escape to. It has a calming effect and that’s often the most desired effect of listening to music. The prospect of an entire album from Justine is something to look forward to.

By Rebecca Cullen

Rebecca is a Musician and writer from Manchester, UK, with an MA in Song Writing.